“How was your solo trip?” A question friends often ask after my latest adventure.

A few years ago, if you had asked me, I would have said Ethiopia and India were in a tie for the last places I’d visit. Fortunately, fate intervened – Ethiopia and the stone churches of Lalibela were a treasure and India … well, India is a land where humanity presents itself in the most dizzying, creative burst of culture and religions, races and tongues. It’s a place impossible to not be astonished by.

Adventures For Solo Travelers (AFS) is a solo travel experience like none other I’ve found – for starters, it is a family owned business run by the energetic Suzy Davis, who has an almost encyclopedic brain of the world. She and her husband Terry meticulously plan each adventure, and they far surpass the offerings of the typical bland tour company.

This solo trip to India is no exception. It’s summer here and oh-so-very hot, but that’s the best time to see the beasts of the jungle in all their glory. Just when I think Suzy can’t possibly top the last adventure … she amazes me once again. I am writing this poolside from the stunning Oberoi Vanyavils resort next to Ranthambhore National Park, home to about 60 Bengal tigers living in the wild.

But I am jumping ahead.